Newly-approved drug could prevent 8,450 miscarriages every year
A charity says it can "help save babies' lives and spare parents heartache"
Last updated 27th May 2022
Women at a higher risk of miscarriage could be offered progesterone, a hormone drug which can help prevent pregnancy loss.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) updated it's guidance on miscarriages, and say the drug has been approved to help certain women.
Tommy's, a charity which researches miscarriage and the use of progesterone, said the move can "help save babies' lives and spare parents heartache".
400mg of the micronised drug can be taken twice daily for women who have both previously had a miscarriage and that are experience early bleeding, having had a pregnancy confirmed by scan.
Nice also said that if a foetal heartbeat is present, progesterone treatment should be continued until 16 weeks of pregnancy have been completed.
They estimate that around 7,200 women could be eligible for the potentially life-saving treatment each year.
Baby charity Tommy's says the newly-approved hormone drug could prevent as many as 8,450 miscarriages per year.
Only recommended for certain women
However, Nice's guidance states that progesterone shouldn't be offered to women experiencing early bleeding if they have not had a previous miscarriage.
It similarly should not be given to women whom have experienced miscarriage that are not bleeding in early pregnancy.
Only women who have both previously experienced miscarriage and are bleeding in early pregnancy will be offered the drug.
There is said to be no evidence of harm or damage caused to the mother or baby from using progesterone, but there's not yet been enough evidence to rule out rare events.
Chief Executive of Tommy's, Jane Brewin, said: "It's great to see Nice taking our progesterone research on board in their new miscarriage care guidelines, which will help save babies' lives and spare parents heartache.
"Miscarriage is often dismissed as 'one of those things' we can't do anything about - even by some healthcare professionals, who may not specialise in this area to know the latest evidence.
"We hear from women who were denied progesterone treatment when they should have been eligible, simply because their doctor wasn't familiar with it, so we hope Nice's recommendation will help end some of these inequalities in miscarriage care that add more pain to an already unbearable experience."